Access denied to files after creation of new user profile

Trouble:

One of our readers reported a problem, when he tried to access files located in the different user profile directory in vista, he got the message prompt saying access denied.

Why Access Files in other user account?

You must be thinking what is the need of this ,but it may be the case when you forgot the password of your account and you may have some very important files in your my documents or in some other user profiles folder.

Why Access denied?

In Windows Vista user accounts files are protected and private to the user itself by default, so no other account will have access to any directory or files located inside user profile folder.

For Example: When anyone try to open a protected folder, got a message prompt.

(see the image below)

(assuming C drive is where you have installed windows)

Fix:

But still there is a way through which you can access and make a back up of the files located in the protected directories inside the user profile folder.

In order to access files ,you will need to create a back up of the all the files inside the private directory and then restore these files to a different location using the created backup file.

Follow the procedure to take the back up of the protected files:

1. Right click on the drive in which the protected files are located and select properties

2. Click Next to skip past the opening page, choose Back up files and settings from the second page, and then click Next.

3. For most people, the My documents and settings option is a better choice. This selection preserves your data files (including e-mail messages and address books) and the personal settings stored in the Windows Registry.

4. If you know that you have data files stored outside your profile, click Let me choose what to back up. This option takes you to the Items to Back Up page

5. Now select the files you need to back up ,this will generate a backup file.

After the backup file has been created, you can it restore by double clicking on back up file form the back up process on a different location. This will remove all the access restrictions to the files.

We hope you will be able to access to your lost files and folders by following the above illustrated process. Hope this helps to fix the trouble.

Author + Admin: Rohit Khurana
Software Engineer by profession. I am a part time tech blogger and believe in blogging because I enjoy writing on technology. I also write about Cars and Bikes at www.carblogindia.com. You can catch me on twitter @rohit_khurana. Get in touch with me at RohitKhurana.in.